Love's Not a Competition But I'm Winning
by Slelnea
Summary: A story of deception, jealousy and competitions of the heart. Who will Axel choose: his longtime best friend or the snarky seductress? AxelxRoxas
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: As always, this was written with my bestie *heart!* scatterxthexashes. Both of us need you to R & R if you want another chapter. Bwahahaha! **

_Disclaimer: We own nothing! (*slight sob*)_

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Axel's eyes drifted over Roxas' sleeping form, the hint of a smile gracing his lips. He sat beside the bed where Roxas was lying: fast asleep and gently snoring. Axel's gaze hadn't left the blonde for at least an hour; watching him sleep had become somewhat of a pastime lately. It was relaxing.

Roxas rolled over, flopping onto his stomach, his arm hanging off the bed. Soft, incomprehensible murmurs escaped his lips. Axel sometimes wished he knew what the blonde dreamt about. Happy things, he hoped.

Axel was so lost in thought that he didn't even hear the door to their room open. Nor did he hear the insanity that was Demyx rushing into the room, but he did see and hear him pounce on poor Roxas. Roxas groaned loudly, and Axel let out a noise of surprise, while Demyx began clinging to Roxas' back, hugging tightly to him.

"Roxas!" Demyx squealed, squeezing the boy beneath him. "Good morning!"

"Wh-wha...?" Roxas mumbled, clearly confused.

Axel sat in shock for a moment before he realized exactly what was going on. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. It didn't take long for him to order Demyx out of the room.

"Out. Now," he demanded, pointing his finger towards the door.

"But... it's morning! And it's bright... and it's morning!" Demyx whimpered, hanging his head like a scolded puppy. He moseyed towards the door, following the direction of Axel's finger.

Roxas just sat on his bed, blinking, as he watched the scene unfold before him.

Axel stood and followed him toward the door, making sure he made his way out. "Sorry Demyx, but no one wants you here." Roxas didn't disagree, oddly enough. "Why don't you go keep Larxene company? Or Zexion? Or... how about that carpet out there?"

Axel pointed outside the door, and Demyx's eyes lit up when he saw the bright red carpet lining the hallway floor.

"Okay!" Demyx exclaimed happily before he excitedly skipped out of the room, leaving an irritated Axel behind him.

Axel closed the door to their room and turned to look at Roxas. The redhead wore a look of frustration. He was always put on edge whenever Demyx was around. He was just... too cheerful. He was _always_ happy.

Roxas rubbed his eyes, clearly annoyed. "He woke me up..." he whined.

"Yeah, that's what Demyx does. He runs around, waking people up, and annoying them when they already are up." Axel commented as he walked back to where Roxas sat.

Roxas laid his chin in his propped up hand, resting his elbow on his knee. He glared at the wall in front of him, his eyes drooping slightly from lack of sleep. He hated being woken up, especially when being _jumped _on . The only one who could get away with waking him up without getting a smack for it was Axel. Axel could get away with a lot of things.

Axel grinned at Roxas, sitting down again in the chair placed in front of his bed. Now they sat face to face. "You're cute when you're annoyed."

Roxas smiled despite the feeling of annoyance and sleepiness. "No, I'm cute... all the time."

Axel smirked, rising from his seat to ruffle the younger boy's hair. "No arguments there, Roxy." He grinned when Roxas scowled at the use of his pet name. Calling him Roxy was another thing that only Axel could get away with.

Roxas annoyance lasted only a moment; he was too hungry to care for long. He blushed as his stomach rumbled noisily.

"Hungry, Roxas?" Axel asked, stating the obvious.

"No, I'm perfectly full." The blonde rolled his eyes, getting up from the bed. He wondered if there was anything good for breakfast today.

Axel quickly moved toward the door to open it before Roxas could. He smiled, holding the door open for the blonde.

"Ladies first," Axel said, watching with amusement as Roxas' expression changed to mock offense.

"Well then, what are you waiting for?" Roxas smirked, pushing Axel out the door and ruining his attempts at being somewhat of a gentleman. Axel would get him back for that later... somehow.

They walked down the hallway side by side. Strangely enough, no one else was to be seen. Roxas didn't realize it was that late; everyone else must have already been in the dining hall. A few more yards of strolling, and the blonde and redhead reached their destination. Sure enough, the rest of the organization was already seated.

Larxene and Zexion smirked as their gazes caught Axel and Roxas walking in. Demyx was too busy hugging his spoon to notice anything, while the rest of the members were content in their conversations, chatting away. Even Xemnas seemed surprisingly in good spirits. _Maybe today won't be too bad_, Roxas thought.

Axel decided to make one more attempt at being a gentleman and pulled out a chair for Roxas. Roxas smiled when he heard no stupid remarks from Axel this time and sat, still smiling when Axel took the seat beside him.

"Well aren't you two _cute_ ," Larxene commented from across the table, a strange grin on her face.

"You're just jealous," Axel replied haughtily.

"Jealous? You wish," Zexion sneered, joining in.

Roxas sank in his seat; he really hoped Axel didn't make a scene. He hated when he did that, it was so... embarrassing. But he couldn't get mad; it'd be like getting mad at a fish for breathing in water. It was just what he did.

Demyx was the first to notice that something was wrong with Roxas. That was a first; normally Demyx was the last to figure _anything_ out.

He jumped up from his seat and ran around the circular table to where Roxas sat. With a loud cry of Roxas' name, Demyx hugged the blonde tightly and repeatedly questioned him about what was wrong. While Roxas sat with a blank expression, simply waiting for the enthusiastic boy to get off of him, Axel's face held more of an angry look. He wasn't fond of people touching Roxas in any way. He was slightly protective, but also easily made jealous.

Roxas noticed Demyx wasn't letting go any time soon, so he took matters into his own hands. He pried the boy's arms from around him, though it was easier said than done. Axel seemed to relax a little when Demyx was no longer attached to the blonde. Luckily no one seemed to notice how uncomfortable it had made him. That would have been just what he needed, another excuse for Larxene to pick at him. She was annoying enough as it was.

"So, Roxy, whatcha getting for breakfast?" Axel asked, turning his attention away from Demyx and to where it belonged: Roxas.

Demyx didn't mind being forced off of Roxas, and he quickly found himself another person to latch onto. This time his victim was Zexion, who didn't really seem to mind all that much. He must have been used to Demyx's constant desire for human contact.

"I'm not sure," Roxas replied to Axel's question, looking deep in thought for a moment. "You pick something for me."

Axel shrugged and reached forward, picking up a piece of buttered toast from the table. He handed it to Roxas, inwardly smiling when their hands slightly brushed. Even the smallest bit of contact with Roxas immediately sent a smile to Axel's face.

Demyx snuggled Zexion, still latched onto him. Axel looked in their direction; he was just happy that Demyx wasn't on Roxas anymore. He hated when Demyx got so... _comfortable_ with him, even though he didn't mean anything by it. He was like a puppy; he loved everyone, for no reason at all.

Axel stared off into space, lost in his thoughts, but was yanked out quickly by a wink and a wave from Larxene. _What is that supposed to mean? _He arched an eyebrow before he turned his gaze back to Roxas. The blonde was eating his toast still. It was funny to Axel how the smallest things Roxas did could make him smile.

Roxas looked up from his food to smile back at Axel. There was almost always a smile on Axel's face when he was around him, Roxas noticed. It made him glad to know that Axel was happy, especially if he was the cause of it. His smile grew wider.

"Enough, you two," Zexion interrupted, forcing Axel and Roxas to look away from each other. They eyed Zexion curiously. "You're going to make me puke with all that... lovey crap."

Roxas laughed, confused. "Lovey crap?"

"You're one to talk, with your little parasite there," Axel smirked, pointing at Demyx.

Demyx's ears perked up, knowing he was being mentioned. However, he didn't seem to understand what Axel meant on account of the huge grin he was wearing, as usual.

Zexion glared at the redhead, pushing a now whimpering Demyx off as he did so. As Demyx was about to latch onto Larxene instead, she snapped at him. "Don't even _think_ about it, mullet boy."

Demyx frowned for a moment, before he got over Larxene's rejection and walked off to find someone new to hold. His eyes fell upon Marluxia, who could be heard muttering "oh God" as he noticed Demyx approaching him.

Axel was glad Demyx was away from them for now. Though, it was a shame he wasn't even farther away. He hoped Marluxia would somehow make Demyx explode into a million flower petals or something. That'd make his day.

Axel turned his gaze once again to Roxas. He had grabbed some bacon and eggs, eating hungrily. Axel wasn't too hungry, so he just watched. It wasn't long that he realized Roxas wasn't the only one being gazed at. Axel could feel Larxene's eyes digging into his skull. It was bizarrely unnerving; he hoped Roxas would eat a little faster so they could leave.

Roxas didn't notice how Axel was staring at him, while Larxene didn't realize just how aware Axel was of her gazing upon him. He wanted nothing more than to hold his hand up to hide his face away from her view, but that would be a little _too_ rude, even for Axel. He impatiently waited while Roxas swallowed the last piece of his bacon, and once he was done, he was the first one up at the table. Roxas quickly followed.

Roxas smiled at the group he had been eating with -- Demyx was back again, too, once again clinging to Zexion. He didn't have time to get any words out before Axel was dragging him out of the room, away from Larxene.

When they were standing outside of the dining room, Roxas gave Axel a questioning look. The redhead just shrugged, walking to nowhere in particular. As he followed, Roxas gave his question a voice. "What was that about?"

"What was what about?" Axel replied, stopping to look at the blonde.

"Why were you in such a hurry to leave?" Roxas asked. He was sincerely confused.

"I... didn'tlikethewaydemyxwashangingontoyouandlarxenewasbeingannoyingsoIwantedoutofthereokay?" Axel mumbled. He didn't really want to answer, but he didn't want to lie either.

Roxas stared at Axel for a moment, trying to comprehend the slurred sentence he'd just heard. When he finally figured out exactly what Axel had said, his expression changed to one of confusion.

"What's wrong with Demyx? That's just how he is. Even you're like that with me," Roxas explained. The only difference between Axel and Demyx's affection was that Roxas didn't mind Axel's... while with Demyx, he'd really rather he didn't latch onto him the way he did. "And Larxene's always annoying... no big deal there."

Axel wasn't quite convinced that Demyx meant nothing more than just being friendly with the way he was with Roxas. But for now he let it go, and moved onto the next subject: Larxene.

"Larxenekeptstaringatme..." Axel muttered once again. For some reason it was embarrassing talking about that sort of thing, even with Roxas.

Roxas didn't feel like deciphering Axel's words this time. "Say that again?" He arched his eyebrow. He was tired of being confused today.

"Larxene, she kept staring at me today, Roxy. It was really weird. She winked at me too," Axel explained, smoothing back his hair. He always did that when he was nervous, though he didn't have a real reason to be.

"Ew," Roxas replied, his tone dripping with disgust. Axel and _Larxene_ ? That would be like him and Marluxia -- a complete disaster.

"She scares me," Axel shuddered, shaking his head; trying to get the images of Larxene out of his mind.

"She _terrifies_ me," Roxas agreed. He was trying hard not to show how much this news bothered him. Even if Larxene did scare Axel, and even if he clearly wasn't fond of her, there was still a chance that something could happen between them. That thought terrified Roxas more than Larxene did. A lot more.

"I just don't get it. She's snarky and rude, but then she flirts?" Axel gestured as he spoke, throwing a shrug in as well. It wasn't any wonder why he had no interest in women. As long as he could remember, he had always preferred men. He wondered how Roxas would feel about that. He'd probably be okay with it, or at least Axel hoped.

Roxas merely shrugged. He didn't really want to talk about it anymore. Larxene was the last thing on Roxas' list of pleasant topics for conversation. "She's just weird. Forget about her, Axel. It's just one of her mind games."

Axel nodded slightly, in agreement that they should give up the subject and move onto something a little more... pleasant. "Yeah, you're right." A short silence. "So... what do you think of Zexion?"

Roxas gave Axel a strange look before laughing quietly. "That wasn't random at all," he remarked. "I don't know. He's okay, I guess. I think it's cute the way he is with Demyx though."

"I never thought I'd hear the word 'cute' and 'Demyx' in the same sentence," Axel chuckled.

"What? Demyx is adorable! He's like a little puppy," Roxas observed.

Axel tilted his head to the side, picturing Demyx as a puppy. It was an interesting image to say the least. "Yeah... I see it. You could pretend to throw a ball and he'd be gone forever trying to find it."

"I think you're remembering yesterday," Roxas snickered, covering his mouth with his hand.

Axel laughed along with Roxas at the memory. "Oh, yeah. I'm too cruel to him," he grinned, remembering how long it had taken Demyx to find the ball he'd thrown down the staircase of the castle. He'd been gone for at least an hour on his search for it.

They walked a bit further down the hall, heading for nowhere at all. Roxas liked walking aimlessly with Axel; even when they weren't doing anything even remotely exciting, he always enjoyed being in his company. He was his favourite person to be around, which was probably why they were practically inseparable.

The content silence was suddenly interrupted by Larxene rushing down the hall in their direction. Axel groaned loudly, not caring at all if Larxene heard him, while Roxas groaned inwardly. Neither of them were in the mood to see her. Of all places for her to be at that moment, she had to choose _that_ hallway? Roxas had a feeling his good day was about to be ruined.

"Hey guys," Larxene sneered, most especially aimed at Roxas. She couldn't stand the boy. He was too... nice. She didn't like nice people.

"What do you want, Larxene?" Axel hated Larxene. She was snide and pompous, and not even in the cute way like he knew he was. He glanced at Roxas, starting to slowly walk away. Roxas was about to follow when they were stopped by her shriek of a voice.

"Wait!" she commanded. Larxene didn't request things; she always demanded them, as if she was above all others, even when she really wasn't. Roxas would love to see her try that attitude on Marluxia or Xemnas and see where it got her. Maybe to ashes, but that would have been too convenient.

Axel sighed heavily, turning his head to glance back at her. "Yeah?" he urged. He wasn't in the mood to deal with her right now. He had more important things to do, like walk around with Roxas for no reason at all. That took priority over whatever it was Larxene was keeping him here for.

"Come with me," Larxene ordered him, pulling on his sleeve. She sent a nasty glare Roxas' way before continuing to tug on Axel's jacket.

Axel's face expressed his confusion. "Why can't Roxas --"

Larxene gave no answer, and with one final yank, she was dragging Axel away from Roxas and down the hall. He couldn't hear them now, raising his curiosity to a very high level.

Roxas' mood changed from content, to puzzled, to furious, all in the time span of two minutes. This was not how today was supposed to turn out. What if something happened between them? Axel was always the flirty type. But with Larxene? He had never seen Axel be anything but irritated with Larxene, but what if that was an act? What if that was just what Axel wanted him to think? Roxas shook his head; he was thinking stupid thoughts again. He hated hormones; they made him act like an idiot. Were all women like Larxene? If so, maybe he really was better off not having any interest.

Roxas furrowed his eyebrows, crossing his arms against his chest and fell back against the wall behind him. He sent glances in Axel and Larxene's direction every few seconds, making sure they weren't up to anything he didn't approve of. In fact, he didn't approve of Axel even _talking_ to Larxene. That definitely had to stop.

Roxas looked away from them and turned his head in the opposite direction, hoping to see something that would bring his day back the way it was originally. Who he saw galloping down the hall brought a much-needed smile to his face; he was the perfect person to cheer him up.

Roxas smiled, calling Demyx over to him. Demyx immediately ran over, a bright smile plastered on his face as he crushed Roxas in a tight hug.

Roxas patted Demyx's back awkwardly. "Demyx?"

"Yes!" Demyx beamed, squeezing the blonde even tighter.

"I kinda need to breathe..." Roxas choked out, pushing Demyx away slightly. The act didn't bother Demyx at all; his grip loosened, but he refused to let go. Roxas just let Demyx hold onto him. He needed a hug anyway. He would have rathered it have been from Axel, but he'd take what he could get for now. Axel was obviously too busy with _Larxene_ to have time for him. The blonde laid his head on Demyx's shoulder, sighing loudly. He missed Axel already.

Demyx frowned. He may not have been the most intelligent person, but he could sense when something wasn't right. "Is something wrong, Roxas?"

For the most part, Roxas was dreading answering that question. But in a way, he needed to talk about it. He was never able to talk to anyone about anything relating to Axel. Not even Axel himself, who he told everything to. But this particular thing... he just couldn't find out about.

Roxas sighed, readying himself to explain. "...Yeah. Yeah, something's wrong," he admitted, hugging Demyx tighter. He needed a hug more than he thought.

"Wanna tell me about it?" Demyx's expression was strangely soft. It wasn't his typical grin that he always wore. His smile was sincere. Maybe he wasn't as stupid as Roxas first thought. Maybe that was just what he wanted people to think, or maybe it was just a fluke. Who knew with Demyx; this was the same boy that had spent an hour looking for a ball.

"Yeah... I'll try," Roxas nodded, still attached to Demyx. He didn't feel like letting go, not just yet.

Roxas bit his lip, contemplating what exactly to say. How could he word his feelings? He never thought he'd had to. He never thought he'd be confessing how he felt to anyone. He felt... nervous.

"...Axel," Roxas murmured, almost too low for Demyx to even hear. "...It's Axel."

Demyx only gazed down at him, speaking no words. Roxas knew Demyx was aware of exactly what he was talking about. He didn't need to say any more, and he didn't have the chance to either. Roxas lifted his head from Demyx's shoulder when he heard footsteps, his face turning a pale pink at the sight of Axel.

"Well, well, well. Aren't we cozy?"

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**A/N: Don't forget to review! **


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Blah blah blah. You know the drill. We don't own any of it._

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"Well, well, well. Aren't we cozy?" Axel glared at Roxas. He was only gone for barely 10 minutes, and already he was in Demyx's arms? Apparently they were talking about him too. He crossed his arms.

Roxas blushed, letting go of Demyx. He also had the common sense to follow suit for once, letting go as well. What did Demyx eat for breakfast today anyway? _Did someone give him smart pills, or what?_ "It's nothing, Axel. What did Larxene want?"

As if being called, Larxene wasn't too far behind, rejoining the group. She answered for herself. "Xemnas put me on a mission with you guys."

"Oh! A mission! Me too?!" Demyx piped in, returning to his old self. Good thing too; he would have begun to frighten Roxas if he had kept it up. The hyperactive boy looked as if he was about to explode with glee at the thought of a trip.

Larxene grinned. "Sorry, mullet boy. No mission for you. It'll just be me, Roxas, and Axel." She practically purred Axel's name, visibly moving closer to him as she did so. Axel merely rolled his eyes, while Roxas had to refrain from throwing her to the floor and giving her a slap across the face.

Demyx sulked, reaching out to Roxas for another hug. Roxas first looked to Axel to see his expression; he simply couldn't read it. He figured he could use another hug as well, so he fell into Demyx's arms once again. When Roxas' head was turned, Axel let his face transform into a glare, aimed straight at Demyx.

Axel's glare turned into a sneer. "Get a room, you two. No one wants to see that." He hated to see anyone hugging Roxas. Roxas was his. Or so he wanted him to be, anyway. He was always coddling Demyx. What if Axel wanted coddling? Did Roxas ever think of that? Axel huffed, shaking his head as he walked away. To his dismay, he heard Larxene following. Why wouldn't she just leave him alone?

Roxas looked devastated when he saw Axel leave. He didn't want this to happen. In fact, just the opposite of this. All he had wanted was a hug. Why didn't Axel get it? Demyx meant nothing by it, nor did he. Sometimes people simply need a hug. Roxas shook his head, sighing sadly. Demyx patted his back gently. Roxas didn't know whether he should stay or go after Axel. He still didn't even know what the damn mission was, either. Today was such a mess.

"Go," Demyx insisted, pushing Roxas away from him gently. Roxas looked up at him, smiling very slightly. He said a quick goodbye, before rushing after Axel and Larxene. He couldn't believe this. Earlier, things with Axel were so perfect, so normal. And now... this.

"Axel, wait!" Roxas called out, as he caught up with them. He reached out to Axel, attempting to take hold of his hand to turn him around. Axel ripped his hand away.

"What?!" Axel snapped, his eyebrows creasing. He didn't even know why he was so mad. He just... was.

Roxas felt as if he was about to cry. Axel had never used that sort of tone with him, ever. He only saved that tone for the people he couldn't stand. Axel had always been touchy, but never with him. Roxas didn't understand; what was going on with him?

One look at Roxas' expression, and Axel felt like he could _melt_. He never could stay mad at Roxas for long, not with a face like his. He felt bad for snapping at him. He never wanted to hurt Roxas. He shook his head, and his tone softened. "I'm sorry, Roxas. What is it?"

Larxene was standing back, watching the scene unfold. She didn't like that they were reconciling so quickly. She had to do something, and fast.

"Excuse me," Larxene interrupted, pushing herself in between the two and turned her back to Roxas. "But we have a mission to get to, _remember_ ?"

Axel sighed, rolling his eyes. He pushed on Larxene's shoulder so he could see Roxas again. Roxas' face was a mixture of aggravation and misery. Axel hated seeing Roxas like that, absolutely hated it. And the fact that he was the reason Roxas looked so down only made it worse.

Roxas shook his head, staring at the ground. He didn't want to look up and see Larxene. She was the cause of all of this. "Nevermind, Axel..."

Roxas didn't want Larxene to be around any more. He was sick of seeing her. She gave women a bad name. The worst thing was though, that he and Axel were expected to go out on a mission with her. He wished there was some way to get out of it.

Axel frowned at Roxas, wondering what he was thinking. He was about to reach out for his hand, until he was interrupted once again by Larxene's shrill voice.

"Guys? _Hello_. Mission time. Xemnas's orders, you know." Larxene was glaring at the two of them now. She was obviously irritated, but mostly just at Roxas.

A mission was the last thing Roxas felt like doing right then. What he wanted more than anything was to be able to fall into Axel's arms and admit everything to him... for things to go back to the way they were between them. What he wanted was for Axel to know exactly how he felt.

Axel scowled at Larxene, wishing she would simply poof into thin air. Or fall off a cliff. The second option would have been preferred. "Lead the way then," he commanded. He hoped that sometime during the mission he would be given a chance to talk to Roxas. That was all he had to look forward to, for now.

Larxene snarled at Axel, making a portal. "You guys meet me in Beast's Castle. Xemnas wanted us to inspect the hearts; see if there's anything ripe for the taking." She walked off, the portal closing behind her.

Axel created a portal, and was about to follow after her, but a streak of silver caught the corner of his eye. It was Xemnas. Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Xemnas?"

Xemnas turned around. He noticed the portal Axel had created, eyeing it curiously. "Where are you two off to?"

"Didn't you send us on a mission to Beast's Castle? With Larxene?" Axel asked, his arms folded across his chest.

"No..." spoke Xemnas, his head shaking slowly. He looked almost as puzzled as Roxas and Axel. Where did they get an idea like that? Larxene must have been up to one of her tricks again. He'd have to watch after her; sending people on missions was his job, and his only. "Go back to your room, you two." He started to walk away, but he stopped mid-thought. "If you see Larxene... send her to me."

Normally, Roxas would cringe at Xemnas's grin, but this time, it meant something good for Axel and him. Or so he hoped.

As Xemnas walked off, an awkward silence filled the hallway. Axel and Roxas stood face to face, but neither of them were looking at each other. Axel was trying to think of exactly what he could say. Should he apologize? Should he admit how much it bothered him the way Roxas acted with Demyx? Or should he wait for Roxas to say something first? All he knew was he had to do _something_.

Roxas was deep in thought, gazing at Axel intently. Then, a thought occurred to him; almost as if it were out of nowhere, the blonde started laughing.

"Guh?" Axel's face contorted into the weirdest expression Roxas had ever seen him make. Axel was baffled. "What... why are you laughing?" The redhead cocked an eyebrow.

"Larxene's stuck in Beast's Castle waiting for us!" Roxas exclaimed. He jumped up and down excitedly. For the first time since that morning, Roxas felt happy. Larxene was out of the way, at least for now. But all he needed was a little while, to set things straight with Axel.

Axel smirked. "About time she left. I was getting sick of looking at her," he admitted truthfully. Axel never thought he would find someone more irritating than Demyx, but apparently it was possible.

Roxas felt even better at that statement. Maybe things really would be okay again.

Axel suddenly sighed, taking a deep breath. This could be the time for him to tell Roxas... everything. "Listen, Roxy..." Roxas couldn't stop himself from smiling at the use of his pet name. "I'm sorry I... snapped. I didn't mean to, it's just..."

Roxas looked up at Axel, listening. He wondered what was on his mind; what he was about to say.

Axel shifted his feet nervously and smoothed out his hair. "I... well... Roxy..." He was having trouble finding his words; maybe actions would work better. He placed a gently hand on Roxas' cheek, gazing at him, their eyes meeting.

"Axel?" Roxas brought his hand up, placing it on top of Axel's. Why was he acting so weird? He thought he understood, but at the same time, he didn't. He just knew he didn't want this moment to end.

"Roxas..." Axel whispered. His hand caressed Roxas' cheek for a long moment, before he dropped it to his shoulder, and then to his waist. He wrapped both of his arms around Roxas, pulling him tightly to his chest. Roxas hugged back willingly, clinging to Axel and burying his face in his neck. This was what he had wanted for all of that day. Just _this_ .

"Roxas, I have to tell you something," Axel spoke, his voice quiet. His arms wrapped tighter around the younger boy, who held on tighter in return.

Roxas was hesitant, but after a moment, he admitted, "I... have something to tell you too."

"You go first," Axel spoke gently, nuzzling his head against the blonde's.

Roxas nodded, looking up to meet green eyes. "I like doing this with you. With Demyx... it's not the same. He's just a clingy friend. But Axel... with _you_..."

"It's different?" Axel finished his sentence. He moved his hands from Roxas' waist, taking them both in his own, and gazed intently into the blonde's eyes.

"Yeah... different." Roxas smiled, nodding. He probably couldn't have removed his smile even if he wanted to. He felt almost like Demyx. If this was how Demyx felt all the time, no wonder he was always smiling.

"And... what about you?" Roxas reminded, resting his forehead against Axel's as he stared even more deeply into his eyes. "What do you need to tell me?"

Axel smiled, rubbing Roxas' hand with his thumb. "It's the same for me. I love how you are with me, Roxy. It makes me feel..."

This time it was Roxas who finished Axel's sentence. "Happier than you've ever felt was possible?"

"Yeah, that," Axel grinned, nuzzling noses with Roxas.

It was only then that they realized they were standing in the middle of the hallway still. "We should probably get back to our room, shouldn't we?" Axel said.

Roxas laughed softly, agreeing silently. He pulled Axel slowly to their room. The redhead let Roxas lead; it was nice not having to be in charge for once.

The walk to their room felt shorter than it ever had before. They closed the door behind them as they entered, both immediately making their way to Roxas' bed. There was still some things that they needed to talk about. But now, they had all day.

Roxas was the first to sit, with Axel quickly coming to join him. Axel intertwined their hands and gave Roxas a genuine smile, which he was more than happy to give back. Finally, things were the way they were meant to be.

Axel laid his head on Roxas' shoulder, nuzzling and kissing softly before Roxas stopped him.

The blonde gazed at him, lifting Axel's head up gently with his hand. "Axel? There's some things we need to talk about." Axel was moving a little fast for his liking. After all, there was still the matter of Demyx and Larxene to clear up. They couldn't move forward until the past was settled.

"Yeah?" Axel took Roxas' hand, kissing his fingers gently.

Roxas smiled softly, and dreaded the name he didn't want to say, but he had to. "...Larxene?"

The redhead arched his eyebrow. "Why?"

Roxas sighed, squeezing Axel's hand. "I don't like her... being around you. She makes me feel like... I have competition, or something."

Roxas felt silly after the words had left his mouth, but Axel thought what he said was absolutely adorable. The sad thing was if he had known about it, that entire situation could have been avoided. But if it was, then they never would have confessed their feelings to each other. So in a way, they were both glad about it.

"I don't like her being around me either," Axel said, being completely honest. "But don't worry, Roxy. No one will ever even begin to compare to you, I promise."

Roxas was blushing and beaming at Axel's last few words. "And... there was one other thing," Roxas added.

"Yes, my tomato?" Axel teased, kissing Roxas' nose, only making his face turn redder.

"Demyx?" Roxas mentioned, having a hard time keeping his thoughts straight with all of Axel's pawing.

Axel's expression went flat at the mention of his least favourite person.

"See!" Roxas pointed at Axel's expression. "That's exactly what I mean."

"What?" Axel crossed his arms, sulking.

"You shouldn't be jealous of Demyx. We talked about this. He's just a little puppy that wants attention," Roxas explained.

"Yeah...WellmaybeIwantattentiontoo..." Axel muttered under his breath. Roxas found it far too cute when Axel did that, even though when he did, he had a hard time understanding what he was saying.

Roxas slipped his hand out from Axel's and instead, he snaked his arms around the redhead's waist. Axel mimicked the action. "But that doesn't mean you have to be jealous of Demyx. He didn't realize how much it bothered you when he gets clingy... and neither did I. If I did know, I would have made him stop."

Axel smiled. Now he didn't have to worry about jealously -- that was a very good thing. "And now you don't have to be bothered about Larxene either." He let out a low chuckle. "I can't believe you were actually worried about her. I mean, _Larxene_ ? Come on, Roxy, I thought you knew me better than that. I'd never go for someone like her. In fact, I'd never go for anyone but you..."

Roxas couldn't stop smiling; everything was perfect. This was how things should be. Nothing could come between them now. He nuzzled against Axel's chest, resting there happily. He didn't want to move from that position. Ever.

Axel smiled contently, holding the younger boy as close as he could without suffocating him. "Not to sound creepy or anything, but... I knew there was something about you the moment I met you. When you first joined here."

Roxas shook his head against Axel's chest. "It's not creepy. It's sweet."

"...Hey, Roxy?"

"Yeah?" The blonde looked up.

"Don't let the others know I have a sweet side, okay? It'd ruin my rep." Axel chuckled, gazing down at the figure in his arms.

"Of course." Roxas knew, even though Axel laughed, he was perfectly serious. But that was okay, he didn't mind Axel having a side that only he could see. And he hoped he would continue to see that side for a long while.

A comfortable silence had taken over. The two were simply holding onto the other, gazing lovingly into each other's eyes like they'd always wanted to. Axel brought his hand up to Roxas' cheek, gently stroking as he moved very slowly toward him. His nose gently brushed against Roxas' before he gradually pushed his lips forward, pressing their mouths together in a short yet sweet kiss.

Roxas smiled so brightly he felt his mouth would fall off his face. Axel looked just as happy, if not even happier. "Hey, Roxy?"

"Yeah, Snickers?" Roxas nuzzled noses with Axel. He was filled with contentment.

"...Be my boyfriend?" Axel asked sincerely, caressing Roxas' cheek as he gazed into his eyes.

"Duh." Roxas grinned, bright as a tomato, as he eagerly leaned in for another kiss.

* * *

**A/N: Hello, readers? There is a review button, y'know.****.**** Axel and Roxas would be _ashamed _of those of you who don't review. _Ashamed._  
**


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